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In an incredible turn of events, Japan’s inaugural moon lander has acknowledged a signal sent from Earth, a development immensely celebrated by Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as a “miracle.”
The miraculous communication took place late on Sunday, signifying that the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) weathered yet another brutally cold lunar night where the mercury drops to a harsh -170C.
The elation by JAXA is founded on the fact that the survival of the lander through the lunar night was not anticipated by its design parameters.
The SLIM spacecraft, often referred to as the “moon sniper”, executed a “pinpoint” landing on January 19, making Japan the fifth nation to successfully deploy a probe on the moon’s surface.
It managed to land within 55m (180ft) from its intended point, however, difficulties with its solar panels placed the mission at risk.
A presumed malfunction in one of its two primary thrusters caused the lander to position upside-down upon landing, rendering the solar panels ineffective to gather sunlight.
Consequently, the lander was left to operate on its battery, which held a 74% charge after landing.
With the battery slowly draining, the only option was to hibernate the probe after a mere three hours of operation post-landing.
Surprisingly, the lander managed to resurrect itself over a week following the notable moon landing.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft on the lunar surface Pic: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency/Reuters
According to JAXA, communication with SLIM on Sunday had to be brief as “lunar midday” meant the lander was subject to extreme temperatures, estimated to be around 100C.
They stated on a social media platform: “Last night a command was sent to #SLIM followed by a response, confirming the spacecraft survived the lunar night and sustained its ability to communicate.”
Subsequently, “Communication with #SLIM was shortly terminated, due to it being lunar midday and the temperature of the communication components being exceedingly high.”
The team at JAXA is now organizing the next opportunity to establish contact when the module has cooled down.
Notwithstanding the obstacles, the mission is deemed a triumph, having successfully met the primary goal of guiding the craft to its designated zone within a 100m diameter.
The precision landing technology could be fundamental for future explorations, potentially unlocking new resources such as fuel, water, and even oxygen.
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Previous moon missions, conducted until the previous month solely by the United States, Russia, China, and India, generally aimed to achieve a touchdown with several kilometers’ margin of error.
Hitoshi Kuninaka, the director of JAXA’s research center, confirmed that the SLIM probe’s specified 100m target zone has been “certainly achieved” based on initial data, albeit the precise landing spot will not be determined for approximately a month.
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SLIM’s accomplishment came barely a month prior to the groundbreaking achievement by an American lander, which, on Friday, made a successful touchdown on the moon—the country’s first in over five decades, celebrated as a forward leap for humanity at large.
The privately-owned Odysseus lander marked history with its journey, landing on the moon’s surface with a descent that captured attention, targeting an area closer to the moon’s south pole than any previous mission.
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FAQ Section
Q: What is the SLIM lander?
A: SLIM, or Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, is Japan’s first moon lander that managed a precision landing on the moon on January 19.
Q: Why is SLIM’s landing considered a miracle?
A: It is called a miracle because SLIM was not designed to withstand the freezing temperatures of the lunar night, yet it survived and responded to a signal from Earth.
Q: Has SLIM accomplished its mission?
A: Despite some technical difficulties, SLIM has achieved its primary objective of landing within a 100m diameter target zone, demonstrating Japan’s precision landing technology which could be crucial for future lunar exploration.
Q: Which other countries have successfully landed on the moon?
A: Prior to Japan’s SLIM mission, only the United States, Russia, China, and India had achieved successful moon landings.
Q: What impact does SLIM’s successful landing have on future space exploration?
A: SLIM’s precision landing technology could have significant implications for the discovery and utilization of lunar resources, potentially aiding in the search for fuel, water, and oxygen on the moon.
Conclusion
The successful response from Japan’s SLIM lander has marked a significant milestone in space exploration history. Despite the adversity it faced, including an unforeseen landing orientation and harsh lunar conditions, the probe’s ability to communicate post-lunar night demonstrates remarkable resilience. This mission propels Japan onto the list of countries that have accomplished the sophisticated task of moon landing, and opens up possibilities for pioneering technologies in navigation and resource discovery benefiting future space ventures.
